Herman Friedman Founder’s Award

The Founders award was renamed in 2008 in honor of Herman Friedman, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of South Florida from 1978-2003, who passed away in August 2007. Herman had a long and distinguished career as a research scientist whose work focused on the effects of cannabinoids and other abused substances on immune function and infection. He became a major force in developing neuroimmunopharmacology into a legitimate and exciting field of research. Herman organized the first meeting in the area of drugs of abuse and immunity at USF, leading the way to subsequent conferences and publications that brought together investigators and lead directly to the founding of SNIP. He always encouraged colleagues to pursue work in this field, organized their findings into a leading series of chapters and books, lobbied NIDA for their support, and mentored numerous students and colleagues. He was a prior recipient of the Wybran Award. The Founder’s award was created to recognize individuals whose contribution to SNIP have been visionary and served as a key to the founding of the Society and/or it's continued development and perpetuation. Its rededication in the memory of Herman Friedman exemplifies this focus.

Past recipients:

Dr. Shilpa Buch, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2017

Dr. Mahendra Kumar, University of Miami, 2016

Dr. Toby Eisenstein, Temple University, 2015

Dr. Pravin Singhal, Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical School, 2014

Dr. Philip Peterson, University of Minnesota, 2013

Dr. Howard Fox, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2012

Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2011

Dr. Sabita Roy, University of Miami, 2010

Dr. Thomas Klein, University of South Florida, 2010

Dr. Micheal Roth, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009

Dr. Charles Sharp, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008

Dr. Guy Cabral, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007

Dr. Robert Donahoe, Emory University, 2006

Dr. Burt Sharp, University of Tennessee, 2004

Dr. Sulie Chang, Seton Hall University, 2002

Dr. John Madden, Emory University, 2001

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Services Award is aimed at recognizing individuals whose efforts and commitment to the Society have been both consistent and exemplary over protracted years of service.

Past recipients:

Dr. Abraham Bautista, National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

Wybran (pronounced Vee-bran) Award

Joseph Wybran, MD, was trained in Immunology and worked for some time in the U.S.A. before returning to his Brussel's home. He was a seminal contributor through the 1970s and into the 1980s to the integration of the fields of neuroimmunology, drugs of abuse and immunity to infection. As a measure of the impact that his science had on the field of neuroimmune pharmacology, his seminal paper published in the Journal of Immunology in 1979 regarding the ability of endogenous and exogenous opioids to modulate T-cell rosette formation in a naloxone reversible way was the most cited research article through the early 1980's. He was killed, presumably, by terrorists reacting to his leadership and participation in Jewish causes. He was shot in his car in the parking lot at his work, October 3, 1989, in Brussels. Sadly, this tragedy occurred at the peak of Joe's career. The Wybran award was created to memorialize Joe's scientific prestige in the area of neuroimmune pharmacology. It is meant, most particularly, to serve as a remembrance of his leading contributions that underpin SNIP. The Wybran Award is the highest honor bestowed by SNIP in recognition of the very best scientific contributions that have resulted in the preservation and expansion of the field of NeuroImmune Pharmacology.

Past recipients:

Dr. Kamel Khalili, Temple University, 2017

Dr. Brian Wigdahl, Drexel University, 2016

Dr. Jonathan Geiger, University of North Dakota, 2015

Dr. Madhav Nair, Florida International University, 2014

Dr. Michal Toborek, University of Miami, 2014

Dr. Kurt Hauser, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013

Dr. Shilpa Buch, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2012

Dr. Yuri Persidsky, Temple University, 2011

Dr. Linda Chang, University of Hawaii, 2010

Dr. Thomas Klein, University of South Florida, 2008

Dr. Howard Gendelman, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2007

Dr. Burt Sharp, University of Tennessee, 2006

Dr. Toby Eisenstein, Temple University, 2003

Dr. Martin Adler, Temple University, 2001

Dr. Phillip Peterson, University of Minnesota, 1999

Dr. Herman Friedman, University of South Florida, 1996

Dr. Charles Sharp, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1995

Outstanding Service and Support Award

This award is given in recognition of individuals who are not necessarily investigators or members, but who have provided extraordinary service in support of the Society and its mission. Awardees may be those working “behind the scenes” promoting the Society through its publication, fundraising, and meetings.